Baylor succumbs to cancer at 68

1979 AL MVP had battled blood disorder for 14 years

Associated Press

Published
8:07 pm EDT, Monday, August 7, 2017

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 1982, file photo, California Angels' Don Baylor swings away during the sixth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, in Anaheim, Calif. Don Baylor, the 1979 AL MVP with the California Angels who went on to become manager of the year with the Colorado Rockies in 1995, has died. He was 68. Baylor died Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, at a hospital in Austin, Texas, his son, Don Baylor Jr., told the Austin American-Statesman. (AP Photo/File) ORG XMIT: NY161 less

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 1982, file photo, California Angels' Don Baylor swings away during the sixth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, in Anaheim, Calif. ... more

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FILE - In this Oct. 5, 1982, file photo, California Angels' Don Baylor swings away during the sixth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, in Anaheim, Calif. Don Baylor, the 1979 AL MVP with the California Angels who went on to become manager of the year with the Colorado Rockies in 1995, has died. He was 68. Baylor died Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, at a hospital in Austin, Texas, his son, Don Baylor Jr., told the Austin American-Statesman. (AP Photo/File) ORG XMIT: NY161 less

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 1982, file photo, California Angels' Don Baylor swings away during the sixth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, in Anaheim, Calif. ... more

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Baylor succumbs to cancer at 68

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Don Baylor, the burly slugger who once held the Major League Baseball record for being hit a pitch and later guided the expansion Colorado Rockies to the playoffs for the first time as manager of the year, died Monday of cancer. He was 68.

The 1979 American League MVP died in his hometown of Austin, Texas, after a 14-year battle with multiple myeloma, Baylor's family said in a statement released by the Angels, the franchise for which he played more than 800 games.

"Don passed from this earth with the same fierce dignity with which he played the game and lived his life," Baylor's wife, Rebecca, said.

Baylor played in all 162 games for the California Angels in 1979 and led the majors with career bests of 139 RBIs and 120 runs. He also had career highs in homers (36) and hits (186) for the American League West champs, who lost to Baltimore in the AL championship series.

When the stocky Baylor retired, he had been hit by pitches a then-record 267 times, and led the majors in that category seven times.

He was also known for speed as a younger player, including a career-high 52 steals with Oakland in 1976, and was a bruising baserunner who loved to break up double plays. He finished with 285 steals.

In his final three seasons, Baylor went to three straight World Series from 1986-88, winning the title and hitting one of his four postseason homers in Minnesota's seven-game victory against St. Louis in 1987. He was on losing teams with Boston in '86 and Oakland in '88.

"Don used power and speed to earn American League MVP honors with the Angels in 1979 and contributed to three straight pennant winners in a great 19-year major league career," commissioner Rob Manfred said.

Baylor was the first manager for the Rockies, leading them to his only playoff appearance as a manager in the franchise's third season in 1995. Colorado lost to Atlanta in four games in an NL Division Series.

Baylor spent six years with Colorado and two-plus seasons as manager of the Chicago Cubs, from 2000-02. His career record was 627-689.

Baylor had at least 20 homers in three straight seasons for the New York Yankees before hitting 31 for the Red Sox in 1986. He was a career .260 hitter with 338 homers and 1,276 RBIs.